In Millions: Potential Earnings for Each Sundowns Player

Mamelodi Sundowns’ participation in the inaugural African Football League (AFL) could make the club a lucrative destination for players, as each member of the squad could be an instant millionaire at the end of the season.

The Brazilians have previously made it known, from their official website, that it is club policy for players to share the prize money of competitions they participate in, with the staff rewarded separately. Reports suggest that players get 80% of the share and the head coach and technical team share the remaining 20%.

The advent of the AFL has raised the stakes significantly, on what the club and in particular players at Sundowns could earn. The Tshwane giants are already guaranteed R31,7 million for reaching the semi-finals of the African Super League. Should they progress to the final, their prize money would rise to R56 million and they will get R75 million for winning the tournament.

CAF also announced a 46% percent increase in prize money for the CAF Champions League. As things stand, the Tshwane giants are now guaranteed $700, 000 (+-R13 million) for reaching the group stages of the CAF Champions League and as one of the favourites to reach the quarter-finals, their prize money could increase to $900, 000 (+- R16, 8 million). Reaching the semi-finals of the CAF Champions has a prize money of $1,2 million (+- R22,4 million) and Sundowns could get $2 million (R37 million) for making it to the final. The CAF Champions League also has a winners prize of $4 million (R75 million).

Just factoring in what each member of the squad could earn, from the current stages of the competitions Sundowns are in (AFL and CAF Champions League), the total money is roughly R45 million and with a squad of 30 odd registered players, each player could already be guaranteed just over R1 million.

Other factors will come into play, like the high possibility of winning the Premiership, with the Nedbank Cup still to play for and the possibility of progressing further in the stages of the African Football League and CAF Champions League. Each Sundowns player, at the end of the season, could earn on upward of R2 million at the very least, not even factoring winning either the AFL, CAF Champions League or the Nedbank Cup.